BUCYRUS - The steers licked their noses and batted their eyes slowly Wednesday afternoon as 14-year-old Chelsea Daubenspeck sprayed water across their backs.

She was helping her sister, Megan, 19, prepare for the evening's dairy steer show. Both of the nearly 1,300-pound steers were Megan's, but Chelsea was planning to show one for her older sister.

"They were both in the same weight class," Megan explained. "Chelsea gets to show the bigger one... he's a little nicer, calmer."

Hulk was the bigger steer's name. The smaller was Jet. Chelsea wasn't nervous, since she'd help walk them all spring and summer — she also took dairy market feeders five years ago during her first year in 4-H, which is what Hulk and Jet would have been last summer had they made it to the fair when they were only about 500 pounds.

It is the 12th year Megan has shown animals at the Crawford County Fair. She graduated from Colonel Crawford High School last year, and is now a student at Marion Technical College, where she's studying ultrasound.

"This was kind of a bonus year for me," Megan said.

She was excited to have her little sister share the show ring with her during her final show ever. Chelsea had already shown her goats and her chickens earlier in the week.

"Goats are a lot of fun," Chelsea said. "They're nice and they're easy. I love them."

One of her goats placed second, and the other sixth. Her chicken was third.

"All the work pays off in the end," Chelsea said. "I'm kinda sad I have to sell them."

Hulk and Jet came to the family farm last summer after the 2017 Crawford County Fair. Another family had the steers as backups for their other dairy market feeders, but chose to leave them home. Megan knew she had to show them in 2018.

"They keep me busy, but every penny I put into this project is my own," Megan said. "I'm proud of that."

Teaching youth to manage money and grow their capital every year is one of the goals of 4-H. Megan is considering using some of her profits this year to buy Chelsea a steer to take next year.

Another goal is to teach children animal husbandry. The Daubenspeck sisters displayed Wednesday they've learned that quite well as they bathed the steers, then walked them through the fairgrounds before returning them to a clean stall, covered with fresh straw.

"It's been an awesome ride," Megan said as she looked back on her 4-H career. "I will still be involved with the fair, even though I won't be showing. Memories last a lifetime."

But before then, the sisters had one more set of memories to make while they were both exhibitors. Chelsea was going over her plan to make sure their show together was a success.